United States

Cape Wind receives federal approval

US: The US government has granted approval to Cape Wind, a Massachusetts offshore wind farm expected to be the country's first.

Interior secretary Ken Salazar visiting a Utah wind farm

Interior secretary Ken Salazar announced in Boston today that the 468MW project has cleared its final hurdle after nine years in development. Construction is expected to start within a year.

"This will be the first of many projects up and down the Atlantic Coast that will come online in the years ahead and will build a new clean energy future for our country," Salazar said.

He said his approval is conditional on project modifications that would help protect Nantucket Sound's historical and environmental resources.

But not all "modifications" are new. The wind farm's reduction from 170 to 130 turbines, cited by Salazar today, actually took place over seven years ago.

Salazar said the approval was not an easy choice to make. "There will be people who are unhappy with this decision," he said, citing concerns about cultural heritage, historic preservation and the approval process.

Nearby homeowners objected to the turbines' potential disruption to the seascape, and federal agency the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation told Salazar's office that approval for the project should be denied.

"Adverse effects on historic properties will be direct and indirect, cannot be avoided, and cannot be satisfactorily mitigated," the council said.

If you see a comment you find offensive, you can flag it as inappropriate. In the top right-hand corner of an individual comment, you will see 'flag as inappropriate'. Clicking this prompts us to review the comment. For further information see our rules for commenting on articles.